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The Experiences of Mothering with an Intimate Partner Violence-related Brain Injury
No full textOne in three Canadian women will experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime, and 75% of them have a probable brain injury (BI) (Haag et al., 2022). Despite the recent growth of IPV-BI research, many survivors remain undiagnosed and many aspects remain unexplored. The experiences of being a mother with an IPV-related BI has been left untold. These gaps leave frontline workers with little guidance in supporting survivors who are specifically mothers. This research reports on a qualitative study exploring the lived experiences of mothering with an IPV-BI. The study uses a constructivist worldview and hermeneutic phenomenology to amplify mothers\u27 voices and provide examples that challenge deficit models of parenting within IPV contexts. The findings highlight mothers’ strength, self perception, and mothering roles in the context of their IPV-BI. As mothers who have experienced IPV-BI are often judged and questioned, changing how we view their mothering capacity is vital. Findings highlight these demands of parenting, and how societal pressures of what it means to be a ‘good mother’ place pressure on many women. Especially with the added factor of a BI, survivors’ sense of self as a mother is impacted. Recommendations for policy and practice provide insight into these nuanced discussions
Episode 2b: CoP in Conversation: Who Am I in the Classroom?
No full textIn this episode, Brenna and Dave unpack “trickle-down clamping down,” making space for curiosity, and the importance of being surprised in the classroom, and Dave confesses that he’s tired of learning.https://scholars.wlu.ca/community-of-praxis/1004/thumbnail.jp
The role of the individual in animal collectives
Get PDFAnimals form groups for a variety of reasons, primarily as a way to increase access to food, mates, and safety. An important attribute of these groups is their personality composition. Personality is defined as repeatable traits over time and context, and has been found across multiple taxa. Traits have been found to be heritable, and are thus a unit for natural selection to act upon. Having a heterogeneous group may be beneficial for survival in a changing environment. The question of how the personality composition of the group affects group behaviour has rarely been asked in the field of animal behaviour, especially across different species.
This question forms the central part of this dissertation. To attempt to answer it, I first present an agent-based model of cooperation in fruit fly larvae with differing personalities, which shows how individual and environmental effects interact to alter cooperation. I next present an experiment on two species of fish (zebrafish and guppies), in which I artificially created groups with specific personality compositions, and ran them through a battery of tasks, both alone and in groups. I found strong differences across species in how personality affected their collective behaviours. Finally, I asked how groups are formed, when individuals are allowed to form their own groups. Large groups of zebrafish were given 3 days to assort into groups in a large arena, and then I measured their personalities. I present evidence that personality affects how large groups can get, but that zebrafish do not seem to care who they form groups with. This work deepens our understanding of how personalities function in shaping the behaviours of groups, and adds a necessary comparative lens to understanding both the proximate and, indirectly, the ultimate reasons for why variation in personality persists
Episode 3b: CoP in Conversation: Relinquishing Control, but not Care
No full textIn this episode, Brenna and Dave unpack ethical open practice, releasing your inner control freak, and caring about learners’ ideas (not just our own), and Brenna confesses that she’s not sure what she was supposed to learn in Digital Humanities class.https://scholars.wlu.ca/community-of-praxis/1006/thumbnail.jp
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF SELF-CONCEPT, IDENTITY, AND MEANING-MAKING IN ADULTS WITH ACQUIRED VISION LOSS
No full textThe qualitative research project examines the lived experience of acquired vision loss in adulthood and its impact on the way participants see themselves and the world around them, both sensorially and metaphorically. The research question, “What are the lived experiences of adults with acquired vision loss as they relate to identity and conceptions of self?” is informed by the researcher’s clinical practice as a psychotherapist in a low vision clinic. The dissertation includes a literature review focussed on the psychosocial aspects of vision loss to provide insight into the intended population and context for the study. Data for the phenomenological research study is from semi-structured interviews with ten adults with acquired visual impairments engaged in low vision rehabilitation at an interdisciplinary optometric clinic in Ontario, Canada. Data analysis using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), reveals five themes and 21 sub-themes. All participants report a deleterious effect of low vision on their daily lives, which impacts mobility, careers, emotional health, and sense of independence. Altered sense of identity accompanied changes to familial and vocational roles, secondary to changes in visual function. Positive and negative changes to self-concept were identified. While acquired sight loss is challenging, participants engage internal and external resources to build meaningful lives. Results from the study will inform practice for health care professionals working with adults who are partially sighted. Notably, a framework focused on meaning making was identified for psychotherapists and spiritual care providers working with adults with acquired vision loss
2SLGBTQ+ Contact as a Vehicle for Promoting Alternative Sexual Scripts Through Exposure to Queer and Trans Ways of Knowing
No full textResearch on the Traditional Sexual Script (TSS) suggests it can have harmful repercussions, such as sexual violence, gender inequity, and the undermining of communication. My research explores the novel idea that intergroup contact with 2SLGBTQ+ individuals can promote CisHet (cisgender, heterosexual) individuals to value alternative sexual scripts that emphasize communication, authenticity, and equity, and to question the TSS. In Study 1, I found that CisHet people who had more 2SLGBTQ+ contact reported greater concern for consent and were less likely to agree with traditional gender norms relative to those who made less contact. In both Study 2 and Study 3, I find that generally, CisHet participants were more likely to positively perceive and intend to adopt sex as described in an encounter that followed an alternative versus traditional sexual script. When considering the role of contact, in Study 2, I found that higher 2SLGBTQ+ contact was associated with greater positive perceptions of the alternative encounter, and less positive perceptions of the traditional encounter, but was not associated with people’s intention to have sex like the traditional or alternative. In Study 3, I found that 2SLGBTQ+ contact was associated with greater positive perceptions of the alternative encounter, and greater intentions to have sex like the alternative encounter, but did not relate to positive perceptions of or intentions to adopt the traditional encounter. Lastly, in Study 3, I found initial qualitative evidence that CisHet individuals may learn about alternative sexual scripts from 2SLGBTQ+ communities, as well as see 2SLGBTQ+ individuals as an example of how to challenge dominant norms and scripts. Taken together, my work highlights the important potential role of queer and trans ways of knowing for cultivating alternative sexual scripts that allow all people to live sexually fulfilling lives
Terpenes Mitigate THC-Induced Working Memory Deficits: Behavioural Evidence of the Entourage Effect Using a 2-Component Operant Memory Task
No full textMost research on cannabis and cognitive function has focused on delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). However, this approach overlooks the complex chemical composition of cannabis products consumed by the public, which often includes cannabidiol (CBD) and various terpenes. These additional constituents may interact with THC to modulate its effects, a phenomenon known as the entourage effect. While this theory has gained traction, experimental evidence for the cognitive impact of terpenes in combination with THC remains limited. This study aimed to assess whether terpenes can mitigate THC-induced cognitive deficits using a 2-Component Operant Memory task. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received intraperitoneal injections of either a vehicle or cannabis extract (1.0, 2.0, or 4.0 mg/kg THC-equivalent) 30 minutes prior to testing. Treatments included: (1) isolated THC, (2) a 1:1 THC:CBD extract with the same THC amount as the isolated extract, and (3) a commercial full-spectrum extract (Hycycle Orange CKS 1:1) containing THC, CBD, and naturally occurring terpenes (β-Caryophyllene, β-Myrcene, D-Linalool, and α-Pinene). At 4.0 mg/kg, both THC and THC:CBD impaired working memory and increased response latency compared to vehicle controls, and working memory deficits persisted up to 48 hours after THC:CBD administration. In contrast, the full-spectrum Hycycle extract did not impair working memory or response latency at any time point, despite containing an equivalent dose of THC. These results provide evidence that terpenes can attenuate THC’s cognitive side effects, offering support for the entourage effect and suggesting that terpene inclusion minimizes some adverse cognitive effects of cannabis
Rooted in Traditions: How Indigenous Nations Use Culture to Shape Policy
No full textThe ways of knowing, doing, and being that have historically governed Indigenous Nations in Canada have been suppressed through processes of colonisation, limiting the ability of Indigenous peoples to govern themselves according to their own cultural values and practices. Policy development is an essential component of Indigenous self-governance, yet little research has examined how Indigenous policy makers are currently developing policy. Thus, this research uses a case study methodology to explore the policy development practices of three Indigenous organisations across Canada. The data collected included interviews, focus groups, documents, and publicly available information, which were analysed using Thematic Analysis to describe key aspects of each organisation’s policy development. Across case studies, community engagement was heavily favoured, and was often treated as ceremony. However, the extent to which cultural values and protocols were embedded into policy varied depending on the type of policy being created. A major barrier to policy development was a lack of capacity, which often stemmed from policy developers balancing dual roles as service providers and policy developers. This research provides insight into the policy development practices currently being used by Indigenous policy makers, and may support the ongoing efforts of Indigenous Nations to advance self-governance
“We Do Not Choose This Life”: Advocating for and Empowering Those Living with Poverty Through Applied Theatre
No full textA collaboration between a theatre company, a university and
eight community organizations culminated in an applied theatre
project entitled “Living Below the Line.” Residents living with
poverty were invited to become co-creators of a new play,
which was performed in five local venues. The project’s objectives
were 1) the provision of a respectful, supportive, empowering
and creative process for the co-creators, and 2) increased
understanding of the effects of poverty for audience members
and the larger community. This paper reports the findings of the
evaluation, which indicate that the objectives were met in several
ways: 1) the co-creators felt uplifted by the support of their
colleagues and the positive response from the community; 2)
they felt their stories of lived experience were respected, and
they appreciated the opportunity to learn new skills; 3) the
audiences reported increased awareness and understanding of
the issues leading to poverty while being simultaneously deeply
moved and entertained. Analysis of the findings indicate that
skillful management of the ethical issues and sensitive accommodation
of the co-creators’ physical, mental and emotional
challenges were key to the success of the project
Dwelling Deeply with Less: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) of Urban Minimalism
No full textThis qualitative study explores the lived experiences of minimalists residing in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, focusing on their motivations, lifestyle practices, and perceived impacts on wellbeing and human flourishing. In response to the growing popularity of minimalism and the limited research in the Canadian context, this research addresses the question: What are the lived experiences of minimalists residing in Toronto and how they make sense of it? Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), data was collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with nine highly educated participants of diverse gender identities and ethnic backgrounds. Findings reveal that participants were initially motivated by practical concerns such as financial hardship, life transitions, health crises, and environmental awareness. Over time, these motivations deepened to reflect spiritual, ethical, and philosophical values. Minimalist practices fostered autonomy, simplicity, intentional living, and community engagement, with participants frequently describing a strong sense of meaning and interconnectedness. The study’s use of VanderWeele’s (2017) six-domain flourishing framework reveals that urban minimalism supports holistic wellbeing and offers new insights into the intersection of lifestyle, meaning, spirituality, and sustainability. This research contributes to academic literature by filling a gap in Canadian-based studies and offers practical implications for psychotherapy, spirituality, lifestyle interventions, and urban policy. It challenges narrow conceptions of minimalism as purely aesthetic or decluttering-focused, highlighting instead its potential as a pathway to a more purposeful life and flourishing natural world